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ANew Zealand MP claimed his own party’s leader tried to hide a £50,000 donation from a Chinese millionaire, prompting renewed concerns about covert interference by Beijing in other nations’ domestic affairs.

The extraordinary accusation was made by Jami-Lee Ross, from the conservative National party, during a press conference in which he accused “corrupt” party leader Simon Bridges of concealing donations and fabricating sexual harassment allegations against him.

Mr Ross made the claims at a press conference and then resigned. He also released a secret recording of a phone discussion he had with Mr Bridges in which they discussed the Chinese businessman's hopes that the donation would help to secure a second Chinese National party MP.

According to Mr Ross, Mr Bridges received the donation from Zhang Yikun, a prominent Chinese community leader who moved to New Zealand in 2000, following a dinner at the businessman’s home and a subsequent fundraising event. Mr Bridges allegedly then instructed that Mr Ross split the donation into smaller amounts to ensure that Mr Zhang was not declared as the source.

Mr Zhang, who served in the Chinese military, has close links to MPs and local politicians in various parties and received an Order of Merit as part of this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours. He has been involved in numerous trade and political delegations to and from China and promoted China’s massive Belt and Road Initiative – a global infrastructure, trade and investment program to which New Zealand has signed up.

The claims have fuelled concerns about China’s growing efforts to influence affairs in the Pacific and beyond. New Zealand and Australia have expressed reservations about China’s growing loans program in the South Pacific and its alleged attempts to try to set up a military base in the region.

Professor Anne-Marie Brady, a China expert at the University of Canterbury who has written extensively about China’s efforts to interfere in New Zealand’s affairs, linked Mr Zhang to the United Front Work Department, a government department which promotes the Communist Party’s interests and values abroad.

“The most concerning aspect to the controversy over National's hidden donations is that the source of the funds is a leader in #CCP united front work activities,” Professor Brady said in a tweet.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern holds her baby after speaking at the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New YorkCredit:
CARLO ALLEGRI/REUTERS

Mr Zhang and Mr Bridges have both denied any wrongdoing.

“Jami-Lee Ross is a person who lies and leaks and, in this conversation, he deliberately tried to set me up,” Mr Bridges said. “The reality is I believe Jami-Lee Ross has been secretly taping me for many, many months.”

But Mr Ross, who is married with children, was embroiled in his own scandal after two women claimed they were manipulated by him during extra-marital affairs, and two others accused him of bullying and misconduct. Mr Ross had insisted the claims were an attempt to smear him, but his denials helped to prompt the women to come forward.

“I watched as Jami-Lee Ross looked reporters in the eye and told the nation that he, ‘to the best of his knowledge, had never harassed a woman’,” a woman told the Newsroom website.

“He was calm. He was collected. He was every bit the master of deception.”